DataVXACS Energy LettersPaper
journal article·2019-04-12Open access

Toward Improved Environmental Stability of Polymer:Fullerene and Polymer:Nonfullerene Organic Solar Cells: A Common Energetic Origin of Light- and Oxygen-Induced Degradation

Emily M. Speller, Andrew J. Clarke, Nicholas Aristidou, Mark F. Wyatt, Laia Francàs, George Fish, Hyojung Cha, Harrison Ka Hin Lee, Joel Luke, Andrew Wadsworth, Alex D. Evans, Iain McCulloch, Ji-Seon Kim, Saif A. Haque, James R. Durrant, Stoichko D. Dimitrov, Wing C. Tsoi, Zhe Li

ACS Energy Letters· Volume 4· Issue 4
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Source abstract

Abstract

With the emergence of nonfullerene electron acceptors resulting in further breakthroughs in the performance of organic solar cells, there is now an urgent need to understand their degradation mechanisms in order to improve their intrinsic stability through better material design. In this study, we present quantitative evidence for a common root cause of light-induced degradation of polymer:nonfullerene and polymer:fullerene organic solar cells in air, namely, a fast photo-oxidation process of the photoactive materials mediated by the formation of superoxide radical ions, whose yield is found to be strongly controlled by the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels of the electron acceptors used. Our results elucidate the general relevance of this degradation mechanism to both polymer:fullerene and polymer:nonfullerene blends and highlight the necessity of designing electron acceptor materials with sufficient electron affinities to overcome this challenge, thereby paving the way toward achieving long-term solar cell stability with minimal device encapsulation.
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Research context

Polymers

OpenAlex topics: Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics · Conducting polymers and applications · Fullerene Chemistry and Applications

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

SPECIFIC, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Bay Campus, Fabian Way, Swansea SA1 8EN, United Kingdom

Department of Chemistry and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom

EPSRC UK National Mass Spectrometry Facility (NMSF), Swansea University Medical School, Wales SA2 8PP, United Kingdom

Department of Physics and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom

School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 3AA, United Kingdom

School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 3AA, United Kingdom

Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, KAUST Solar Center (KSC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia

Funding

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council · European Regional Development Fund · European Social Fund · Llywodraeth Cymru

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